Latch.



A. B. GROGHAU. LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG; 12, 1909.

Patented J an. 3, 1911.

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

M m; j A TTORNEY.

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Aueusros'nnwm' GBOCHAU; or can CLAIRE, Wisconsin.

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has for its object the provision of a latch in l which the latch-barwill remain in retracted positionwhile the dooris' open and will be released by forcible contactwith a releasing finger in a keeper on the doorframe, when the door is swung to closed position. Heretofore it has been a common fault with latches that they-have failed to retract and enter the keeper when the door has been given an initial closing impulse by the operv ator and then set free. This fault has been particularly. damaging when it has occurred with respect to refrigerator doors, and my invention is intended to remedy said fault and to insure, in large measure, the closing of t'he door.

My'i'nvention consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. 1

In the drawings, Figure l, is-a horizontal section of a door and of a latch mounted thereon and of a fragment of a door frame and of a keeper, the section of said latch being approximately on the line AB of Fig. 6; the section of said keeper being approximately q'n the line OD of F1g.'3. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of said keeper. Fig. 3, is a side elevation of said keeper on the side adjoining the door. Fig. 4, is a erspective View of a combined handle and arretracting lever embodied in my said invention. Fig. 5, is an elevation of the end of said latch adjoining the keeper. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of said latch the front wall of the latch case being cut off to expose the mechanism. The 0 erative positions of the movable parts of said latch are shown in broken. lines, while the retracted positions thereof are shown in solid lines.

ln'the drawings, 1 is a door frame and 2 is. a door.. A latch' casing 3 includin a detachable plate 3* is mounted on sai' door, within which case is alatch comprising a latch bar 4: which bar is pivoted within said Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 12, i909. Serial no, 512,481.

Patented Jan. 3', 1911.

case by any suitable pivoting means, as by the pivot 5 which extends from fronttorear' through an aperture 6 in said bar of sufficient. "size to permit of a slight oscillatory movement of said bar at right angles to the path of its pivotal movement. The front and rear surfaces. of said bar are preferably provided with rocker portions 4 through which said.

apertureextends. Pivotally secured to lugs 7 on' said casing is a bell crank comprising a handle arm 8 and a latch-bar-retractin-garm '8. Said retracting arm preferably extends through an aperture 9 formed in the rearward end of said latch bar and said bell crank is adapted-when operated to depress the rearward end of said latch-barin opposition to the upward action of a spring-10 positioned beneath said bar, and to thereby cause the forward end of said-bar to rise.

At the same time saidbell crank, because) of its pivotal movement, is adapted to draw the rearward end of said latch bar toward the front of saidcasing and thus cause the forward end of said bar to swing over a shelf 3 which is .formed upon the inner until it is brought into forcible contact with a finger 11 positioned within a latch kee er 12 secured to said frame. I When the or- .Ward end of said bar is pushed off of said of said bar in such retracted position will be in suitable position to enter said keeper when the door is swung to closing position; but shouldthe bar fail to catch on said shelf, it will, as heretofore, provided the door is closed with. reat force, ride to raised position u 3011 a orwardly and downwardly beveled lip 12 formed upon said keeper, and,"

after passing over said lip'will drop into the recess 12 formed in said keeper. The forward end of said bar is preferably beveled .from the top outwardly and downwardly and from the rearward face to a pointnear the front face and from the front face toward the rearward face, and from the upper edge of the front face downwardly and rear- 'wardly all substantially as illustrated in the drawings, said beveled formation being well known to theart. In operation, the forward end of the latchbar is raised and simultaneously thedoor is o ened by raising and pulling upon the hane, at the same time the rearward end or, tail of the latch bar is drawn toward the front wall of the. casing by said arm 8 and the forward end of saidbar isthereby caused to rise and at the same time to swing rearwardly over said shelf, upon whichit rests when the handle is released and the pressure.

by said arm 8 'is discontinued. When the door is'slammed toward said frame,the forward end of said bar enters said keeper with out interference or resistance and comes into contact with said finger and ,is thereby forced ofl of said shelf, whereupon said spring forces said bar vto return to-operative 1-.- The combination with a door and door-"- position and-to engage therearward face of said lip. A

While I -ha e described the preferred form of my invention, certain-0f my claims are intended to cover the invention broadly and not to 'be-limited" to such preferred form.

What'I claim is frame,- of a latch-bar carried by saiddoor, saldbar being adapted to rock. in a direction approximately parallel with the. side of said door and-also at right angles to'said plane,

' means for rocking said bar in said directions, means for supporting one end'of saidbar retracted position, a keeper mounted on said door frame, and-means within said keeper for releasing said bar from retracted position. x

2. In a latch the combination with a door and door frame, of a latch-bar mounted on said door and adapted to rock in two directions at an angle toeach other, means for rocking said bar in such directlons, a kee er mounted on said door frame, means for ho ding said bar in retracted position, one end able-support of a casing mounted thereon, a latch bar positioned within said casmg andextendin therefrom and adapted to rock in two irections at an angle to each other, a bell crank pivotally mounted on said casing and comprising a handle portion and a latch-bar-rockin arm, said arm engaging said bar within said casing and being'adapb ed to rock said arm in both *of' said directions,--means for supporting said arm in retracted positlon and a spring for returning said. arm to operative position after it has been released from the latter said suport.

'In testimony whereof I hereunto a x my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

' aversive EDWIN GROCHAU.

I Witnesses:

Vreo NIELSEN, ORLANDO G. Baron. 

